Singer Clay Aiken's chief rival for the Democratic nomination for Congress died unexpectedly on Monday.

Keith Crisco, 71, a former North Carolina secretary of Commerce, died from a fall at his home, reportedThe Courier-Tribune in Asheboro, N.C. A woman who answered the telephone at Asheboro Elastics Corp., which Crisco founded, confirmed the news to USA TODAY​ and said the company's workers were in shock.

Aiken, a former American Idol runner-up, was leading Crisco by 369 votes for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District but the race was too close to call. The Democratic nominee will go on to face GOP Rep. Renee Ellmers in the fall.